Greenbelt Frequently Asked Questions

The Greenbelt Commission is dedicated to working with the entire community to enable the City of Norman to:

prepare for future growth

preserve the natural features special to Norman

protect environmentally sensitive areas

enhance recreational opportunities throughout the city

encourage a system of green spaces that contribute to the beauty and quality of life in our community--for all of us and for future generations.

What is a Greenbelt?

In Norman, the term Greenbelt refers to three ways to protect natural areas and open space with a system of land parcels that work together to help maintain the beauty and liveability of our city. They are:

Norman's existing public parks, golf courses, and nature preserves. These are already open to the public for recreation.

A system of trails (both on and off-road) between parks and other open spaces, that will allow people to walk, run, bike, skate or ride horses. These would typically be publicly owned and open to the public.

Large areas of privately owned lands which may not allow public access, but will help beautify the city. Examples of such areas are farmland dedicated to permanent agricultural use and portions of private residential developments set aside for open space.

Who serves on the Task Force?

The Task Force members come from all parts of town and from a variety of professions, but they all share a commitment to keeping Norman a wonderful place to live. A list of members is available here.

How will land for the Greenbelt System be obtained?

No decision have been made about obtaining land for the Greenbelt System.

Possibilities include:

City-owned land or easements

private land with conservation easements

purchase of development rights

donations

the newly formed Norman Area Land Conservancy, Inc., created to help Norman develop an open space system. (The Conservancy will serve the City in much the same way as the Friends of the Library serve the public library system.)

More information on this topic is in “Green Dreams,” the Norman Greenbelt Commission report.

What happens next?

The public is invited to read, study and comment on “Green Dreams,” the Norman Greenbelt Commission report. After gathering public input, the task force will work with the Norman City Council to enact the recommendations in the report.